The Speaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni has passed away.
Dr Luveni was 72 years of age and became Speaker when she was elected to the position on 6 October 2014.
The Office of the Secretary‑General to Parliament says that the details of the funeral arrangements will be announced in due course, in consultation with her family.
Dr. Luveni’s appointment was a historic one as it was the first time in Fiji’s history that a woman was elected to the position of Speaker of Parliament.
During the 2014 General Elections, she was among eight women candidates who won seats in Fiji’s new Parliament.
Dr Luveni was re‑elected again in Parliament on Monday 26 November this year, straight after the 2018 General Elections.
She graduated as the first woman dentist from the Fiji School of Medicine as well as from the University of Sydney.
She was also the Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation for 8 years before the General Elections in 2014.
